Flexible distributer-pipe.



H. M. GEHL.

FLEXIBLE DISTRIBUTER PIPE.

APPLlCATlON mas OCT. 2. 1914.

1,2?JUfi4W Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

W Mmww4 is HENRY M. GEI-IL,

OF WEST BEND, WISCONSIN.

FLEXIBLE nIs'rnIBUTER-rIrE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 27, 1917..

Application filed October 2, 1914. Serial No. 864,633.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY M. GEHL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of West Bend, in the county of Washington and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible Distributor-Pipes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple, economical and effective means for coupling the sections of a distributer pipe, whereby all load strain is eliminated from the pipe sections.

Specific objects of my invention are to provide a flexible runner preferably in the form of a chain or cable which is secured to each pipe section having a male coupling member at one end and a female coupling member at the opposite end for connection to like runners of other pipe sections, whereby said pipe sections can be readily connected or disconnected to the runners tans coupled together that sustain the entire load of the series of sections;

To provide a female coupling element in the form of an ear having a keyhole slot, which opposite free end of said section being provided with a male coupling member, and

To provide a runner or chain having its upper end secured to the coupling ear, the said chain section being of a length approximately equaling the length of pipe section to which it is attached.

My invention is particularly designed to be utilized in connection with distributer pipes for silo filling apparatus. Under ordinary conditions, the pipe sections of such distributors are connected by coupling members which are secured respectively to the upper or female end of one pipe section for engagement with the companion members secured to thedower or male ends ofv the all of the load strain is sustained by the series of pipe sections so coupled. This coupling arrangement also precludes a wide scope of flexure in the pipe and, owing to the short stretches of the coupling mechanism, it has been found in practice to be exceedingly difiicult and unwieldy in effecting a coupling or uncoupling movement. These objectionable features mentioned are therefore eliminated in the construction of a distributor pipe embodying the features of my invention.

With the above and other being indicated line 2-2 of Fig. 8-, and

Fig. 3, a detalled sectional plan view of Referring by characters to the drawings, A, A and A indicate distributer pipe sections, the upper female ends B of which are adapted to receive the male ends C of the preceding section in the ordinary manner. The female ends of each section have secured thereto, by rivets 1, oppositely disposed companion female coupling members in the form of ears 2. The lobe 2 of each ear is apertured for the reception of the rivet l and is provided about the rivet with an ofl set portion 2 which forms, in connection with a juxtaposed face of the distributer pipe, a cavity for a chain link 3, through which link the rivet 1 also passes, whereby the upper end of a runner or chain section is secured to the upper or female end of the distributer pipe. It is understood that, while I have shown and described the runners as being in the form of chain sections 4, I may, without depart ing from the spirit of my invention, employ any type of flexible runners such, for instance, as a cable or like element. The ears 2, as shown. are offset from the distributer pipe wall and are provided with keyhole slots 5, the throats 5 of which are adapted to receive a male coupling member.

or runners and, a my invention, the said male coupling mem bers comprise rings 6 which are fitted in the loops of the last chain link 3 of the series. Thus in effecting a coupling operation the chain links, 3 are pushed through the throat 5' of the keyhole slot which constitutes the female coupling member and the ring 6, in passing under the ear, will engage its surface and draw upon the runners or chain stretches will be resisted by said ring.

' Attention is also called to the fact that the ears 2 are slightly inclined downwardly, whereby the tendency of the runners 4 is to drawinwardly under load to avoid inadvertent uncoupling of the runner coupling elements.

, Asshown, the companion runners are secured adjacent to the upper ends of the distributer pipe sections and are of a length approximately equal to the length of the same and, owing to the fact that they swing freely from the coupling ears, the maximum flexibility 'is obtamed, whereby the con nected pipe sections can be readily swung in any direction.

It will be further observed that, when the series of pipe sections are coupled together, the chain stretches form continuous runners, whereby all of the load strain is relieved from the body of the pipe sections, it being understood Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, I). 0.

that the uppermost section of the series is suspended from any suitable point of anmeans at the end of the first named runner for co-acting with the securing means of the bracket of an adjacent section.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at West Bend in the county of Washington and State of WVisconsin in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY M. GEHL.

Witnesses EDWARD J. GEHL,

J. W. GEHL.

f Commissioner of Patents, 

